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LIV Golf is back in action this weekend at Real Club Valderrama in Spain — but the league’s entire complexion has changed in the month since its last event outside Washington, D.C.
When Harold Varner III won at Trump National Golf Club in late May, LIV was still embroiled in a lawsuit with the PGA Tour and was reeling off the momentum of Brooks Koepka’s victory at the PGA Championship.
During the D.C. tournament, LIV officials were doing deposition prep work in their fight with the PGA Tour, a source told Front Office Sports. Now, the controversial circuit is awaiting next steps from the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund’s framework agreement with the PGA Tour to combine forces.
Ahead of the Spain event, Phil Mickelson expressed confidence in the future of LIV, claiming that everything he’s been told by league management has come to fruition so far. “We don’t really feel the need to publicly posture our position,” Mickelson said.
Whether LIV will continue as a separate entity long-term is one of many unanswered questions surrounding men’s professional golf.
This week, PGA Tour executive vice president Tyler Dennis wouldn’t confirm exactly how this desired unity in golf will be achieved. PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan reportedly told a player that LIV is “my f—ing baby,” suggesting that the league won’t be shuttered altogether.
Dennis did clarify the Tour will be in control of the new entity, which is tentatively being called “PGA Tour Enterprises.”
Another source stressed to FOS that the forthcoming agreement will indeed address important details on a variety of subjects swirling throughout the sport.
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